President Vladimir Zelensky held talks with American legislators in the US Congress.
Among other things, he spoke with both Senate Republicans and Democrats. He later met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives (the lower house of the US Congress) and held separate negotiations with him.
ICTV Facts has collected all known information about how President Zelensky’s visit to the US Congress went.
Now watching
Democratic position
Democratic Majority Leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer said that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's meeting with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday was & #8220;very powerful”.
As CNN writes, according to Schumer, Zelensky “in great detail” talked about what Ukraine needs and how the United States can help the country defend itself against Russia.
— If he gets the help he needs, he will win. If we lose, Putin will win, and that's very, very dangerous for the United States, — Schumer said.
Zelensky also said that, according to the Democratic senator from New York, Ukraine needs help as soon as possible.
Before Schumer made his extended statement, Schumer, McConnell and Zelensky walked past reporters, and Schumer said it was “a very good and productive meeting”.< /p>
Schumer later added: “If Ukraine falls, it will be a historic and colossal tragedy. If Russia wins, future generations will look back on it as a shameful moment for the West, for the United States, and for those in the Senate who tried to block it”.
Wanna take a break? Come in on Facti.GAMES!
He said Democrats are ready to “meet in the middle” with Republicans on border security reform, but the House border bill is not an option.
— This is not the time for one side to demand maximalist policies that they know are unrealistic and then say “either this or that”. If fellow Republicans want to reach agreement on the border, they must meet us in the middle. They need to show us that they are serious. So far, when they just ask for HR2 (a bill initiated by the House of Representatives & #8212; Ed.) or something like that, they are not showing seriousness , — he said.
Schumer said he spoke by phone with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday night, urging him not to go on recess, which begins Dec. 16, while negotiators work on a comprehensive package, although CNN noted that any deal does not appear imminent. .
— If Republicans are serious about getting something done on the border, then why are so many of them in such a hurry to go on winter break? Is the border — this is just an excuse to block funding for Ukraine, since the Republicans do not want to make concessions on HR2 and are preparing to rush out of town? — he said.
Schumer said that it seems “that this is just a pretext, and they really want to kill funding for Ukraine and were never going to accept it”.
Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky
Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky
Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky
What the Republicans are saying
Senators attending a briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he did not propose or oppose calls for U.S. border security, studiously avoiding getting into what has become a major stumbling block in the domestic US politics. Instead, Zelensky focused on explaining why U.S. assistance is so necessary for Ukraine.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he made it clear to Zelensky that the delay in aid to Ukraine was not due to Zelensky not emphasizing the importance of aid , but is associated with an acute border issue.
— I told President Zelensky that my number one responsibility — to ensure the security of my country as well as to help yours, and I feel that my country's border policy poses an immediate threat to the security of the American people. I said (to Zelensky, — Red.): “You did everything that was required of you. It's not your problem”, — he told reporters.
In turn, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson after a meeting with the Ukrainian president, said that he had not changed his opinion on helping Ukraine.
— Our first condition of any additional national security spending package concerns our own national security,” Johnson said.
Despite this, Johnson said he reiterated to Zelensky that “we are with him against Putin”s brutal invasion”.
But then he said that from the moment he ascended to the post of speaker, he demanded from the White House a clear strategy that would allow Ukraine to win. And, according to him, the responses from the US presidential administration “were insufficient”. He complained that he had asked the White House for details “again and again, literally 24 hours after I was given the gavel as Speaker of the House”.
Johnson said that the responsibility for decisions on Ukraine related to the issue of US national security lies with the Senate and the White House, saying that the House of Representatives passed an immigration policy bill more than six months ago.
According to him, this bill did not receive a single vote from Democrats in the House of Representatives.
— The border is an absolute disaster. And that’s because of the policies of the White House and this administration,” Johnson said.
What Zelensky said in the Senate
The President of Ukraine in his social networks reported that communication in the US Senate was “friendly and frank”, and the very fact of such a meeting “is an important confirmation of Ukraine’s support in the fight for independence, freedom and democracy”.
— Told the senators about the current security and economic situation in Ukraine, the importance of maintaining vital American support. Answered questions. Thank you to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for consolidating bipartisan support for our state and people, — wrote the President of Ukraine.
The President briefed the senators on military objectives for the medium term. He emphasized that next year Ukraine will continue to put pressure on the aggressor, so support from the United States is very important. In particular, the need for long-range weapons was noted.
They also discussed the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s air defense to reduce Russia’s capabilities in the air, protecting civilians, critical and grain infrastructure.
As Vladimir Zelensky noted, the protection of Ukrainian cities is extremely important for the return of people, economic growth and the speedy achievement of economic independence. The head of state noted that even in conditions of war, the Ukrainian economy grew by 5% this year.
In a conversation with senators, President Zelensky also spoke about protecting the alternative grain corridor created by Ukraine from Russian attempts to disrupt civil shipping and the growth of transportation volumes.
Separately, the President of Ukraine emphasized that the Ukrainian government has fulfilled all its obligations to the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, and within the country the decisive fight against corruption and work on significantly strengthening the anti-corruption infrastructure will continue. ;.
Recall that on the evening of December 12, President Zelensky arrived at the US Congress for negotiations with American legislators.
The Ukrainian President is expected to meet with his American counterpart Joe Biden next.
